Five Favourites of 2017

Tanaya’s 2017 Favourites

Ask any book lover to tell you their favourite book and I’m sure they’ll have a struggle narrowing it down to just one. Even picking five favourites of 2017 was difficult because there were just so many incredible books we both read.

I in particular have found that my reading tastes have shifted immensely in the last twelve months. When looking at all the books I read last year, a significant number were adult fiction as opposed to YA. Whilst once upon a time the thought of my favourite books no longer being my favourites somewhat saddened me, I now am excited for the all the fantastic books I’ve yet to discover and fall in love with.

1. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

I really really really really loved this book. Since reading Little Fires Everywhere in November, this story has stuck with me, playing on repeat in my head as I continue to think about just how great it is. The characters are endearing and enchanting, the plot is mystifying and intriguing, and the writing is lively and lovely. The whole book is a bundle of joy and I am already looking forward to a reread this year so I can pick up on all the little details I missed the first time around.

2. Vicious by V. E. Schwab

I’ve read books by V.E. Schwab before and have enjoyed them immensely. But none of her works have had me so in awe as much as Vicious did. Schwab is fast becoming one of my favourite authors (even though I have some catching up to do on her books). Her worlds are spectacular – so creative and imaginative, and I particularly loved the characters in Vicious. This was recommended to me so many times and I’m so glad I finally listened because this book is just so damn perfect. I cannot wait for the sequel later this year – put it in my hands now!

3. Renegades by Marissa Meyer

Marissa Meyer is a YA queen. I adored her Lunar Chronicles series – they’re fun, and exciting, and filled with the very best things about YA fiction. When I read Heartless however, I was so incredibly disappointed – that book was just not my cup of tea. When I started Renegades I was so nervous that this too would not meet my expectations, and I’m so thankful this was not the case. Renegades from the very first page captured my heart. Superheroes are something that haven’t been too overdone in the YA genre, and I think Meyer did a really fantastic job of featuring some unique superpowers that made this story refreshing and exciting. I also really adored the characters and can’t wait to read more of Nova and Adrian’s stories.

4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

If I had to pick one adjective to describe this book it would be enchanting. It’s dreamy, and enthralling, filled with magic and wonder and is one of those books that I want to shove upon everyone who hasn’t read it. This is such a wonderful book and completely deserving of all the praise it has earned. My only regret is that I didn’t read this sooner.

5. All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastai

Time travel is one of my favourite topics to read about, and All Our Wrong Todays is such an interesting time travel tale. It’s quirky and fast-paced, and even though the characters are quite unlikeable, I still found myself drawn to them and wanting to know everything about them.

Emily’s 2017 Favourites

It was incredibly difficult to pick just FIVE favourites from this year! I have read a lot of fantastic books, and I’ve tried to pick my favourites across different genres. I devoured a lot of non-fiction in 2017, and was pleasantly surprised. But of my favourites, fantasy still takes the cake!

1. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Neverwhere is an astonishing novel which showcases how easy it is for people to fall through the cracks and disappear while also being a marvellous adventure story.

2. The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

Aside from being one of the best titles of 2017, this was just a really fun, rollicking read – a sort of Victorian road trip novel with diverse characters and a ton of humour.

3. Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend

The only novel that has given me the same feels as Harry Potter on opening it for the first time. A little girl whose family treat her as though she is cursed is whisked away to a magical world where she must strive to join a wonderful and strange society.

4. City of Brass by S. A. Chakraborty

A completely enchanting fantasy filled with dangerous djinn and hidden cities. An amazing adventure with some incredible twists and turns. Now just to wait for the next one (not so) patiently…

5. I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O’Farrell

This book gives me goosebumps when I talk about it. Told in seventeen vignettes, each about a time the author has faced death, this memoir is just stunning. Reading this, and a few other books about death, have made me comfortable with my own mortality, something I have always feared.

Published by Tanaya

Tanaya has been a lover of books for as long as she can remember. Now, her book collection is a little out of control, mostly consisting of YA fiction and pretty hardcovers. She currently works on the marketing team for an online book retailer. When she’s not reading, she spends a lot of her time taking photos of books for social media. She also has a love of Disneyland, bullet journaling and cats.
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